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Young Alabama Pro Savors Angler-of-the-Year
Title Horton's Risk Proves To Be The Right Decision MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 1, 2000 -- Tim Horton acknowledges that his family was a little uneasy when he announced to them that he was going to fish for a living after graduating from college. "To be honest, my parents and my wife's parents were scared to death," says the 27-year-old Spruce Pine, Ala., pro. "But it has worked out pretty well so far." That may be an understatement. In his first season as a BASSMASTER Top 150 pro, Horton captured the Angler-of-the-Year title and did so in dazzling fashion. No modern day angler has ever locked up the prestigious points championship before the final tournament, which Horton did by finishing fifth in the BASSMASTER MegaBucks event on Lake Murray in March. Under a new scoring system that allows anglers to "throw out" their worst event, Horton was assured of the title regardless of his finish in the final event on Lake Wheeler. Horton joins a legendary list of superstars who have won the honor that B.A.S.S. bestows each year upon its most consistent tournament angler. And consistent he was. Horton opened the season with a sixth place on Michigan's Lake St. Clair then recorded his worst finish (38th) on Vermont's Lake Champlain. He won the Maryland Top 150 on the Potomac River, was 22nd on Florida's Lake Tohopekaliga, and was fourth at Lake Seminole. The fifth place finish in MegaBucks gave him four top 10s in six events and earned him more than $160,000. "I only hoped to be competitive my first year," he explained. "Winning Angler of the Year was a career goal, not a season goal. It's unbelievable that it could happen this fast." If winning the title weren't enough, he and his wife, Melanie, gave birth to their first child, Lauren Bailee, Feb. 26. "I can't believe how many good things have happened to us this year," said Horton. "It's very overwhelming." Horton attributes his quick success to his detailed preparation for professional fishing and a Top 150 schedule that favored his style of fishing. "The lakes and the schedule played into my strengths," said the 1996 graduate of the University of North Alabama. "I like to structure fish and sight fish for bedding bass. And that's exactly the kind of tournaments we've had." Horton qualified to compete on this year's 1999-2000 Top 150 circuit by finishing 20th on the 1998-99 Eastern Division Invitational circuit, his rookie year as a touring B.A.S.S. pro. Prior to that, he toiled as a fishing guide on lakes Pickwick and Wilson in northern Alabama. That guiding business provided him with about $20,000 to cover entry fees and travel expenses, and valuable experience. "That was all part of the plan," said the well-spoken young angler. "I chose guiding out of college so I could fix my schedule around the tournaments and stay on the water where I'd learn more about fishing and how to deal with pressure. Believe me, when someone is paying you $200 so they can catch fish, that's a lot of pressure. Maybe more than fishing tournaments." And if the plan didn't work? Horton would have fallen upon his psychology degree. "It wouldn't have been the end of the world," he shrugged. "I would have probably gone into counseling troubled youths. It's something I'm very interested in." In the meantime, his college studies are being put to work elsewhere. Horton works with underprivileged youngsters and has developed a "Fishing For Kids" program with the Long-Lewis Ford dealership back home. "When I was guiding, I loved having kids in the boat," he recalled. "So, when I had free time, I contacted the County Department of Human Resources and asked for the names of kids I could take fishing. The program has really grown from there." And so has Tim Horton. Sponsors of the BASSMASTER Tournament Trail include Ranger Boats, RangerTrail Trailers, Mercury Outboards, BIG Kmart, Chevy Trucks, ACDelco Batteries, Humminbird Electronics, Zercom Marine, Pennzoil Marine, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems and MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Worldwaters.com. MarJean Corkran Media Relations Coordinator B.A.S.S., Inc. Communications Dept. |